Made for shade

Tree program provides some valuable cover

May 9, 2013

One of the estimated 120 trees distributed Thursday afternoon at John F. Kennedy Memorial Park as part of the MidAmerican Energy/Friends of Webster County Conservation Plant Some Shade program.

Harold and Margery Tiedeman, of Hall, will plant their trees at their new home.

Article Photos

-Messenger photo by Hans MadsenAnna Lewandowski, of Fort Dodge, helps carry a tree that will be planted at her family home during the Plant Some Shade tree distribution Thursday afternoon at John F. Kennedy Memorial Park. The program is a joint effort of MidAmerican Energy and Friends of Webster County Conservation.

-Messenger photo by Hans MadsenWhite Pine was among the five species of trees that were available this year.

They are both needed and appreciated.

"It's very bare," Harold Tiedeman said. "We don't even have a lawn yet."

Cody Peterson, process supervisor for Webster County Conservation, said that planting trees around a home offers the owner multiple benefits.

"It increases the value of the property," he said. "It also offers energy savings, wind protection and wildlife habitat."

Also, there's nothing like a tree limb for a tire swing or tree house, he said.

Most of the cost of the trees, which are sold at a bargain price, is borne by Mid-American Energy. Peterson said the $30 cost per tree is about a third of retail. People who signed up for the trees were required to be customers and they must plant them on their own property.

MidAmerican partners with Friends of Webster County Conservation to distribute the trees.

On Thursday, there were five species to choose from: swamp white oak, sugar maple, Glenleven linden, white pine and pagoda dogwoods.

"They are all disease-tolerant," Peterson said. "They were picked for that."

Carroll Teske, of Fort Dodge, selected three trees for his home.

"These will be new," he said.

He was all smiles as he secured them in his truck for the trip home.

"These are some darn nice trees," Teske said. "They'll be good shade trees and good for the wildlife."

Dan Lewandowski, of Fort Dodge, has a few empty spots ready for the ones his family picked up.

"We had to cut down some last year," he said. "These are replacements."

He's looking forward to seeing the trees mature, though he knows the process is protracted.